Answers to Your Media Destruction Questions

As paper shredding and information destruction specialists, we receive questions every day. Lately, media destruction is on everyone’s mind. In this blog, we answer several common media storage questions.

Q: Why should I use a media destruction service?

A: Tapes and hard drives and other digital storage devices have a shelf life. Never toss outdated devices in the trash. With the right tools, criminals can still access the data stored on tapes and hard drives. Always use a hard drive, media and tape destruction service when decommissioning outdated media.

Q: What about erasing and reselling my old media?

A: A study by the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) found that 40 percent of used electronic devices sold on the secondhand market contained personally identifiable information (PII). Making a few extra dollars by selling your old media is not worth the risk.

Q: How are my devices destroyed?

A: A screened and bonded media destruction specialist collects your devices. Whether hard drives, backup tapes, DVDs, or USBs, they use a state-of-the-art punch press and disintegrator to destroy your electronic media within a strict chain of custody. Afterwards, you will be able to download your Certificate of Destruction from our secure web portal.

Q: Am I required by law to destroy my outdated media?

A: Businesses that collect personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) must comply with state and federal privacy laws. When PII and PHI is no longer needed, companies must dispose of it. When your media expires or is no longer needed, destroy it to meet state and federal privacy requirements.

Q: Should my media destruction partner be NAID AAA Certified?

A: Yes, to ensure the privacy of your data, your media destruction partner should be NAID AAA Certified.

For a shredding and destruction provider to achieve AAA Certification, they must be audited by an independent Certified Protection Professional® (CPP) who is accredited by the American Society for Industrial Security International (ASIS). During an audit, the following areas are assessed:

• Operational and facility security
• Information destruction processes
• Employee hiring practices
• Insurance liability coverage

After NAID issues AAA Certification, the shredding and destruction provider receives ongoing audits that verify compliance with NAID standards.

CI Information Management provides full-service records and information management in the Tri-Cities, the Yakima Valley, Walla Walla, Hermiston, OR, Moses Lake, Wenatchee, and nearly everywhere in between.

For more information about our hard drive, media, and tape destruction services, please call us at 509-586-6090 or complete the form on this page.